0

I bought some of these starters from a big box store and it says plant them when chance of frost is gone. Since I'm probably still 1 month out how should I best keep them? Should I water them in the plastic bags they are in or leave them dry? Inside or out in cold shed? (Live in South Carolina

I bought some of these starters from a big box store and it says plant them when chance of frost is gone. Since I'm probably still 1 month out how should I best keep them? Should I water them in the plastic bags they are in or leave them dry? Inside or out in cold shed?

Bence Kaulics
  • 1,908
  • 3
  • 13
  • 30
sweaty
  • 103
  • 2

1 Answers1

3

I think the problem is that the instructions were written by a "writer", not a gardener. Plant them as soon as practical, all plants shown grow where temperatures are below freezing. I am sure I have planted blueberries and raspberries and countless trees, fruit and other wise, before the last frost. I can't remember when I planted grapes and strawberries. The greatest danger is direct sun on the bag when plants are still in them. I always try to plant woody plants when dormant which normally means freezing is still possible. Keep them in a cool place until you are ready to plant; that will be better than in the warm store.

Bence Kaulics
  • 1,908
  • 3
  • 13
  • 30
blacksmith37
  • 8,496
  • 1
  • 9
  • 15
  • You're probably correct about the instructions. I'd be willing to bet that the supplier has a single set of planting instructions that it uses for all plants, regardless of cultivar: "Plant after danger of frost at the same level as in the pot. Water well" etc. – Jurp Jan 25 '21 at 21:11
  • Judging from the picture, the plants are still dormant. The biggest danger is that you keep them somewhere "warm" (i.e. above about 5C or 40F) and they start to grow *before* you have planted them. With no access to water, they will then be badly damaged, or die, very quickly (i.e. in hours, not days.) You can't plant anything if the *soil* is still frozen, because you can't firm frozen soil around the newly planted roots, but air temperatures below zero don't matter. – alephzero Jan 25 '21 at 22:41